Half-Marathon Tip #16: Speed Post-Run Recovery

Whether it's your first race or your 50th, this expert advice will help get you across the finish line faster, happier and healthier. Check back weekly between now and race day (April 3, 2011!) for a new installment.

MORE.com Health Editors

Photograph: Katarzyna Kaszuba

Bounce Back From Workouts

To stay fresh between sweat sessions down a fruity drink. Marathon runners who drank eight ounces of tart cherry juice twice a day five days before, the day of and for 48 hours after their race regained leg strength faster and had significantly less inflammation than marathon runners who drank a placebo. In fact, when inflammation peaked 24 hours after the run, markers like inerleukin-6 were up to 49 percent lower among tart cherry juice drinkers. The numerous antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds in this superfruit are most likely responsible for its protective effect, say researchers. Trying adding two glasses to your daily diet, just be aware of the extra calories: 16 ounces contain about 260.